With First Division teams still reeling from the loss of digital TV incomes and Scottish clubs unsettled by Celtic and Rangers' desires for more money and bigger challenges, the Doncaster College-based Business School is poised to start Britain's first full-time BA Honours degree in Business and Football Industry Management.
"Since the early 1990s, football has established itself as a credible global industry; sports-related studies, developed in recognition of the greater levels of professionalism demanded by the industry, are increasingly popular," says course leader Glyn Littlewood, an amateur player and lifelong Barnsley fan.
"The Honours BA course is a logical development from Dearne Valley Business School's football consultancy service and it will soon be partnered by an MBA in Football Management and Football Marketing."
The Business School's football consultancy service works with a number of clubs and associations, is involved in joint projects with the online international business magazine Soccer Investor and complements the work of the College's male and female Football Academies.
Interest in the new course has come from across the UK, from Ireland and from mainland Europe. One of the first applicants for a place was a female, mature student, reflecting the fact that football is the fastest-growing female participation sport, says the college.
The Business School, at the High Melton campus, between Doncaster and Sheffield, says its course will "provide a thorough knowledge and understanding of both business studies and the complex, dynamic and multi-faceted world of professional football."
Thanks to Glynn Littlewood's many footballing connections, the college is able to offer students work placements for final-year students in football clubs, the media, stadium management, marketing and related fields. There will also be a concerted effort to raise students' community awareness and put benefit back into the area.
"At last, teachers can promote opportunities in football, with a clear conscience!" says Glyn Littlewood.
Valuable
"Besides offering short but glittering careers to exceptionally talented players, football is now a major international business, with many commercial links that extend beyond the final whistle.
"Graduates can aspire to managerial, administrative or promotional jobs within football clubs, the Football Association, the football media, stadium management, marketing, or related industries. But the many transferable skills they have acquired will be equally valuable in a wide range of other academic and vocational areas, besides sport and leisure."
n Dearne Valley Business School's degree in Business and Football Industry Management will cover topics such as the marketing and promotion of football on a European and international stage, football industry employment, information and financial management systems, information technology, organisational behaviour, business analysis, economics and business strategy.
Guest lecturers will include: Robert Elstone, director of football business affairs at BSkyB; Chris Rawlings, head of sports and marketing at Proactive Sports Group; Alastair Wathey, business development manager for Rushden & Diamonds FC; John Stephenson and Peter Casskin, directors of the Celtic and Barnsley footballing academies and Dan Fletcher, business development manager for Soccer Investor.
Like all Dearne Valley Business School undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, it will be validated by Hull University.